Taiwan’s former president is open to meet with Xi Jinping during visit in China

Taiwan’s former president Ma Ying-jeou is open to meet with Xi Jinping when he makes a historic visit to China later in March. Even though, there are not yet any plans for him to pass the capital Beijing.

This was announced by a senior official from Ma’s office on Monday.

Ma Ying-jeou will be the first former or current Taiwanese president to visit China since 1949.

According to the director of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, the trip is mostly about student exchange and showing respect to Ma’s Chinese ancestors.

Still, he wouldn’t rule out meeting with senior officials when asked if a meeting between him and President Xi Jinping could come up.

“As guests, we are available to our host,” he told journalists.

Ma is scheduled to visit China from March 27 to April 7.

Ma met with  Xi Jinping in Singapore in 2015, shortly before the current Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wen, was elected.

The Taiwanese’s government has not commented on the details of Ma’s trip. Taiwan’s ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party, has stated, that they believe Ma is sending the wrong message with his trip, at a time when Xi is heading to Russia to meet with President Putin despite the war in Ukraine. And at a time when China continues to try to intimidate Taiwan.

Ma was president of Taiwan from 2008 to 2016.

Source: nordjyske.dk

About Miabell Mallikka

Miabell Mallikka is a journalist working with ScandAsia at the headquarters in Bangkok.

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